Congratulations to Our 2003 Recipient
Excerpts and Highlights from Nominations
On Teaching
His class had perhaps the most value added of any during my tenure at the GSB.
His course provided me with the greatest amount of learning from a single course in my entire educational career.
Looking back, the nights I stayed up late to work on Darrell’s homework problems are among the most memorable times for me at Stanford!! I certainly benefited A LOT from the rigorous systematic training that his course offered. He teaches with as much clarity and passion as I can possibly imagine.
As far as I can tell there was only a period of about 6 hours at night when he wasn’t available to answer questions over email.
Darrell is the most dedicated teacher I have ever had. He wants all students in his class to learn, and is willing to put in the effort and time to make sure that happens. The best students from math, statistics, engineering, economics, and the GSB take this class. There is no better way to learn asset pricing than from the master.
On Research and Advising
His support with my job market was enormous. He and I met at least once a day, including weekends and holidays, sometimes at his house. He even corrected grammar errors and helped me with my English! He is an advisor who paints the big research picture yet covers every detail related to research.
This is remarkable coming from a man who has, and is completely dedicated to, a family, and whose sole motivation for hard work at school is intrinsic.
When I was much more concerned about modeling and mathematical details, in a very encouraging way Darrell asked me to step aside from the model to single out my marginal contribution first.
Darrell always has interesting comments and different ways to approach a common question. Many times, after meeting with Darrell, I find new paths to proceed down.
Knowing the wide range of activities he is involved with, obligations facing him, the tremendous interest so many people have in interacting with him, I marvel each time I think of the amount of time he has given to me—from his office, home, and even travels. Also, on his own he has taken time to think about issues of interest to me.
Exemplar
Darrell makes you feel important. He respects your ideas and wishes to help you develop important questions, no matter what the topic.
He treated me as a friend, reducing the distance between faculty and student.
While he has offered me the full benefit of his experience and wisdom, he has always trusted me with making my own decisions.
Darrell and Ken Singleton have organized informal seminars where students present their own ideas and research projects.
Darrell has been a mentor, a coach, a colleague, and a friend. He understands the profession of being an academic very well, and he offers sage advice about how to position a paper or how to prepare oneself for the job market.
Darrell has always been one with a smile and a good word—and if I went on only one bike ride with him, it is certainly not his fault, for the invitations abounded.